Innocence Lost
by EnigmaticDog
Summary: Babette never wanted the life that she was given; never wanted to be a monster; never wanted to be a vampire; never wanted to be a little girl for the rest of her immortal life. Her story has been a tale untold... Until now. See Babette's evolution from a playful ten year-old girl to a three hundred year-old heartless assassin.
1. The Beginning

The leaves of a tree glistened in the reflection of the late afternoon sun as it sunk towards the horizon. An owl hooted as it awoke, preparing for its nightly hunt. A torchbug's thorax began to glow softly as it flew into the open air. And in the middle of it all, a young girl was playing among the trees as her elder brother sat propped against a towering oak tree reading from the _Yellow Book of Riddles_.

The young girl was Babette, a ten year old girl that lives in the Breton city of Wayrest with her father, Tristord the tailor and her mother, Elanna the herbalist. Her elder brother, Tristyn was sixteen years old however, unlike his father, found no interest in the tailoring business and had taken an apprenticeship with the city's smith and unlike his father who was short and wiry, he was well-built from the hours he had laboured over the forge.

"Alright Babe, here's a good one," Tristyn called out, "'A metal neither black nor red; As heavy as a man's golden greed; What you do to stay ahead; With friend or arrow or steed.'"

Babette hung upside down from a bough, her hair flailing over her face, "Umm…" she paused to think, "Gold!"

"Nope," Tristyn replied, a smile forming on his face.

"But gold isn't black or red and is as heavy as _gold_," she complained, "What else could it be?"

Tristyn ran his fingers through his long, black hair, "You're forgetting the other two lines."

"The… answer… is _gold_." Babette said finally.

"Actually it's lead but sure whatever you say."

Babette fell from the branch with a yelp. She rolled part-way down the hill before getting back to her feet, "I _knew _it!" she shrieked.

"Of course you did Babe. Anyway, we should get back home," Tristyn said glancing between the descending sun and his sister. "It'll be dark soon."

Babette pouted, "But we only just got here…"

"Three hours ago," Tristyn completed her sentence, "If we stay here any longer Mother will worry about us."

"But…" she began before cutting herself off with a sullen expression, "Let's go home then."

"I knew that you'd agree," Babette's elder brother said cheerfully, "We need to be home soon so we'll have to run."

* * *

The sun had fallen beneath the horizon by the time Wayrest was in sight, leaving only its ever-diminishing glow behind. The two silhouetted figures of Babette and Tristyn hurried down the hillside. They reached the gates just a guard was closing them for the night. "Wait!" Tristyn cried. The soldier turned and saw the two of them. Tristyn recognised the captain of the guard, a lean Imperial called Solonius.

"Hurry through," Solonius said, "I'd have thought you would know not to stay out this late Tristyn. I don't envy what your mother is going to say when you get home."

Tristyn exaggerated a shudder, "I doubt that she'll be amused. Then again, I'll just tell her that it was Babette's fault."

Solonius shut the gate just as Babette swung a punch that Tristyn casually dodged. "Do you need an escort?" Solonius asked, "The streets aren't always safe at night and I'll be able to save you from your mother."

"I think we'll be safe," Tristyn said, holding Babette back by the head as she threw punch after punch his way, "Babette will take care of anyone who comes our way."

"Then run along," Solonius laughed, "Otherwise your mother will be coming for my head."

"Thanks Solonius," Tristyn said, causing the captain to raise his eyebrow, "I mean- thank you… sir."

Tristyn swiftly turned tail and made a retreat with Babette close behind, screaming a battle cry.

* * *

The two siblings were nearly home when Tristyn heard a man's voice, high-pitched and somewhere close. "Oooh, yes! Yes indeed. The young ones are always the sweetest yes."

"Who's there?" Tristyn shouted, placing his hand on Babette's shoulder and pulling her close, "Don't come near us."

"Who's there, he says, who indeed." The voice was closer, "'The _who_' of the matter is a matter of opinion because the one who he wishes to know is known by many names, but the only one that really stuck was _vampire_." Babette let out a short cry and Tristyn pulled her closer to him. "And he threatens… oooh they so rarely_ threaten_. I'm going to have so much fun this one. But then there's the girl as well… Yes she's a pretty one. I wonder… Could she? Maybe, maybe she would be suitable."

Tristyn stepped in front of Babette protectively, "Don't you even _think_ about touching her!"

"Touch her?" the voice sounded taken aback, "We wouldn't do such a thing… Would we?" he asked to no one in particular. He paused for an answer but before Tristyn could say anything the voice continued, "Oh we _would _touch her. Well then it seems that I would in fact touch her."

"Where are you?" Tristyn shouted into the night air, "Show yourself!"

The voice didn't reply. The night was silent except for Babette's heavy breathing. "I'm scared Tristyn, can we go home now?"

Tristyn squeezed her hand, but stayed silent. He let her hand go and took a step forward. He cast his eyes across the road before them and the houses that flanked it on either side. Tristyn listened for a sound, the soft footfall of an approaching assailant, the rustling of bushes, anything. But the night was quiet and still. "I think it's safe now Babe." Tristyn turned and let out a gasp.

_Nonononono… What do I do? _Tristyn could find no words. He stood still for what felt like an eternity before he ultimately collapsed to his knees. Finally he found his voice, "Help! Please, anyone help me!" He screamed uncontrollably until he was hoarse. He lay down on the hard stone road and wept and didn't even notice when people began to flood out onto the street. He didn't even notice that they saw him and were running out to him. Nothing mattered anymore.

Babette was gone.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I just had this idea and thought that someone had to hear it. I am really looking forward to further exploring Babette's past and what contributed towards her becoming what she is. I am going to have _so_ much fun with this story. Please comment below and let me know how you felt about this.

**P.S.** If this story goes as I am planning, I just want to warn you that this is not for the faint-hearted.


	2. The End of the Beginning

Babette tried to scream as she was pulled away from Tristyn, away from the town but she was unable to find her voice. Her mouth was open yet no sound emerged. The hands gripping her were strong, too strong, and any and all efforts that she made were in vain. The man holding her was running quickly and twigs clawed at Babette's face, drawing blood from thin cuts as he loped through the thick undergrowth of the forest. Suddenly her voice returned, "Let me GO!" She screamed unceasingly until she was given a reply.

"But of course," the man said, releasing his grip on her without breaking stride. Babette tumbled into the ground and let out a cry as she bounced into a thorny bush. The man whirled around; skidding to a halt and Babette saw his face for the first time. He was an Imperial and as such was of an average build, with dark close-cropped hair and red eyes. He had a pointed chin, was clean shaven, and had two small scars on his upper neck. Then Babette remembered,_ "The one who he wishes to know is known by many names, but the only one that really stuck was _vampire,_"_ he had said; it was true!

"We're going to have so much fun, you and I," the man said, laughing manically, "You're such a pretty little thing, you know that." He slowly stepped closer. Babette scrambled backwards however collapsed with a yelp when her arm gave way. It must have been broken when she had fallen, she concluded. He was near now, and closing in fast.

"Why do you want to leave us?" he asked, "Don't you want to… _play_?" He reached where she lay sprawled in the dirt and grinned, revealing blood-stained teeth and… fangs! Babette opened her mouth to scream yet, once again no sound came out. He placed a finger over her lips, his smile widening, and said, "No words dear. Let's do this real quiet."

* * *

Tristyn was barely conscious as he was guided into his home from the street by Solonius. "Just… hold on, alright Tristyn," the Imperial said, forcing him to look him in the eyes, "We'll find her okay. I won't let anyone keep her away from you. I promise that you will see her again. Alright? Now get some rest." He patted the young Breton on the shoulder and Tristyn walked into his bedroom. He slumped onto his back on the straw mattress and laid still, his eyes open, his mind buzzing.

Outside, he heard his parents awakening and Solonius' footsteps as he entered the house. "Ah, Solonius," his father's voice began, "What brings you here?" There was silence for a moment before Tristyn's father broke the silence, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"There's some bad news…" Solonius paused, "It's about Babette…"

Tristyn stopped listening; he already knew what the Captain was going to say and didn't need to hear it again. He closed his eyes and prayed to the Divines: to Arkay in the hopes that his sister might live, to Julianos so that he would be able to think logically and hold the emotions that would surely come at bay, to Mara for her compassion but most importantly, to Stendarr, that justice would be dealt out to the monster that had taken Babette away from him. That… vampire.

As he began to drift into unconsciousness, Tristyn heard his mother sobbing violently and his father's soothing voice attempting to calm her down. And finally, Tristyn fell asleep.

* * *

Babette lay at the foot of a tree, curled into a ball, snivelling like a dog that had been kicked one time too many. She could still feel the vampire; could still feel his breath down the back of her neck; could still feel… the horrible things that he had done. She quietly vomited into the undergrowth to her side and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She felt lost, as if there was no one left to protect her; she felt alone. She was assailed from all sides by the temptations of surrender, of submitting to her fate and allowing the monster that subjugated her to have his way with her.

But, when all other thoughts turned to darkness and despair, she held onto one thought, one glimmer of light in a very dark place; the thought that Tristyn would save her. She saw him in her mind's eye, charging through the trees, with his sword in hand, battling and defeating the vampire. She saw him extending his hand towards her, smiling, offering to take her away from the torment that she was facing and bring her to the safety of her own home. She reached for his hand…

And the image shifted. Tristyn's bright blue eyes faded to red, his smile was no longer that of welcome but of callous amusement, his white teeth becoming bloodied fangs. The vampire was still alive and was back to subject her to further torments that she would never be able to forget, no matter how hard she would try. "We've really enjoyed you're… company," he said, "But unfortunately, like all fan_tastic_ things, our little play date must come to an end." He ran his tongue over the edge of his fangs and moved his face close to hers. "I hope that you taste good; it would be a real shame if such a wonderful evening ended with me getting food poisoning."

Without a moment's hesitation, he bit into her neck, his fangs immediately penetrating the skin and drawing blood. Babette screamed and thrashed about however this only seemed to further excite the vampire, causing him to bite harder. He stood, pulling her from the ground, continuing to feed. He lifted his mouth momentarily, "Oooh yes!" he exclaimed, "This is really good. You've really outdone yourself this time yes, yes indeed." He lowered his mouth to her neck again and fed off the blood gushing from her wound.

Within a minute, Babette had ceased all attempts at protecting herself and lay limp in his grip, lifeless. The vampire looked disappointed, "And I was just starting to really get into the _swing_ of things," he said to himself before tossing Babette's body to the ground, dead.

* * *

**Author's Note: **You may have already noticed that these chapters are relatively short. The reason for this is that I like to write each chapter in a continuous block and this would simply not be possible with longer chapters. I hope you're enjoying the story so far and if you have any queries or ideas **please** let me know in the comments section. See you next time.


End file.
